Category: Capitol Updates

Child leave bill (SB 193) could mark progress for maternity, childcare for state employees (Capitol Update)

Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, appears to be making some progress on her goal to make Oklahoma a “top 10 state for women.” She obtained passage last week of her Senate Bill 193 that would grant a six-week maternity leave to… Read more [More...]

Two bills that could be valuable justice reform measures (Capitol Update)

Continuing the criminal justice work he began last session, Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, last week filed committee substitutes in the House Rules Committee for House Bill 2477 and HB 2490 that were introduced earlier as shell bills. The two bills… Read more [More...]

SB 844 would help calculate SQ 781’s overdue investments in mental health, substance use disorders (Capitol Update)

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed Senate Bill 844 by Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, which is his latest effort to implement State Question 781 that was passed by vote of the people in 2016. Its companion measure, SQ780, changed… Read more [More...]

A look at the education plans proposed in the House and Senate (Capitol Update)

There are two legislative plans now for funding Oklahoma common education. Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, announced and passed through the House Common Education Committee last week his $500 million funding proposal for schools. His proposal would give all teachers a… Read more [More...]

New session could be pivotal year for Oklahoma (Capitol Update)

The legislative session began Monday with the governor’s state of the state address to a joint session. Committee work will begin in earnest on Tuesday with at least two Senate committees — Judiciary and Retirement and Insurance — hearing bills… Read more [More...]

Proposed bills would ensure high-quality legal representation for children, parents (Capitol Update)

One of the toughest challenges society faces is how best to protect and nurture children who are deprived of the care they deserve from their parents or other caretakers. Children have a long life ahead of them to suffer the… Read more [More...]

Recent education proposals could be most comprehensive education reform in decades (Capitol Update)

Among the bill deadline’s better reveals last week was a set of serious proposals by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, to improve Oklahoma education. This may be one of those rare moments in Oklahoma’s brief history where a giant step forward… Read more [More...]

Shropshire an excellent choice for DHS Director (Capitol Update)

Gov. Kevin Stitt made an outstanding appointment of Dr. Deborah Shropshire as the new Director of the Department of Human Services. The top DHS job had been filled by Samantha Galloway on an interim basis since Justin Brown resigned last… Read more [More...]

A look at leadership in the state House and Senate (Capitol Update)

The House and Senate went into session for “organizational day” last week and the leadership teams in each chamber were formally elected. There wasn’t a lot of change in either chamber. House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, was elected for an… Read more [More...]

Balancing state savings versus investments in Oklahoma’s needs (Capitol Update)

The state Board of Equalization met last week to certify the amount of funds that will be available for appropriation in the next legislative session. The amount of the certification is based on an econometric model used by the Oklahoma… Read more [More...]